WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.— When Andrew and Elizabeth Whittaker went away to a small bed and breakfast to celebrate their wedding anniversary seven years ago, the couple realized owning and operating one of their own was something they would love to do.

The couple met while earning degrees from Purdue University in hospitality and tourism management, both working in corporate and smaller-scale operations throughout their careers.

"Our hospitality careers had taken us both into more of the numbers side and we really wanted to get back into the service side, being with the people versus strictly behind the scenes," Elizabeth said.

A grand opening will be held for The Whittaker Inn, located at 702 W 500 N in West Lafayette, on May 2 after breaking ground for the project just over a year ago on April 16.

Elizabeth said the 20-degree temperatures present that day, accompanied with snow accumulation, should have been a sign of how the building process would go for the project leading up to its grand opening just days away.

"It rained and rained and rained, and then when it wasn’t raining it was frozen outside,” she said.

But to have completed the bed and breakfast in a year’s time despite any setbacks is what has pleased the Whittaker’s the most.

With the bed and breakfast sprawled across 25 acres of land, Elizabeth said the privately wooded getaway will see more to come as a venue over the next year, but for right now the focus is on getting the rooms prepared for guests to stay in.

Each room available for rent, a total of 15, features a different theme of a country, continent or state, offering a different array of features and room sizes for each suite.

"Our mission is to provide the personalized service and special touches you receive at a bed and breakfast because they are smaller in size, but also with the amenities people have grown accustomed to in hotels," Elizabeth said.

Some of the larger scale amenities, Andrew said, include electronic key locks as well as an online booking system. But a more modern, and smaller scale, approach on a front desk check-in will be done through an employee with a tablet awaiting the guests arrival, who will then walk them to their room explaining the location of amenities along with answering any other questions that may arise.

With a full kitchen, Andrew said breakfast of course is included in a night's stay, but dining reservations for patrons not staying over at The Whittaker will be offered as well, creating a local destination among area restaurants.

"We will be able to accommodate weddings, meetings, showers," Andrew said. "We have a few company retreats already booked I believe. A standard menu of options people may want to choose from will be offered, but anything specifically requested or desired will be able to be provided as well."

For more information about booking and amenities accompanied with a stay at The Whittaker Inn, go to thewhittakerinn.com.

Contact reporter Jillian Ellison at 765-420-5228 or at jeellison@gannett.com